Thursday, June 28, 2012

The result of a study published
in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one
of the JAMA/Archives
journals finds that statin use in postmenopausal women significantly increases
the risk of developing diabetes. In spite of this damning evidence, researchers
do not recommend that American Diabetes Association guidelines for primary and
secondary prevention should be changed. Statins account for hundreds of
billions in pharmaceutical sales each year, and there is scant evidence they do
anything to promote cardiovascular or overall health.

In addition to contributing to
muscle wasting and metabolic imbalance, this research provides yet another
reason to avoid this energy-sapping class of drug. Health-conscious individuals
avoid pharmaceuticals at all cost, and there is now compelling research to
suggest that everyone should seriously question taking statins to prevent an
unnecessary risk of diabetes.

Dr. Annie L. Culver and her team
from the Rochester Methodist Hospital, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota analyzed data
from the national, multiyear Women's Health Initiative (WHI) to garner results
for this study. Researchers analyzed data to include 153,840 women without
diabetes with an average age of 63 years. Statin
use was assessed at enrollment and again in year three. At the outset, 7
percent of the women reported taking a statin medication.

The scientists found 10,242 new
cases of diabetes and determined that statin use was positively associated with
an increased risk of diabetes. The association remained after adjusting for other
potential variables, including age, race or ethnicity and body mass index, and
was observed for all types of statins. Dr. Culver noted“The results of this study imply that statin
use conveys an increased risk of new-onset DM (diabetes mellitus) in
postmenopausal woman.”

A deeper analysis of the data
found that diabetes incidence increased in this cohort of postmenopausal women
by 71%. Amazingly, the result of this study has received no media attention.
The scant coverage that has been published fully discounts the additional risk
burden and continues to tout the ‘heart-healthy’ benefits of statin use. The
real truth is that statins are anti-energy by core means of operation. Any time
you reduce the energy function of a cell you reduce the ability of that cell to
burn calories as fuel.

Low cellular energy
function creates metabolic inefficiency and insulin resistance, with increased
fatigue and eventual type 2 diabetes. Statins are a recipe for metabolic
disaster, yet millions of unsuspecting women and men continue to blindly
swallow these ‘magic pills’ in the belief that they can continue to consume a
poor diet and have full immunity against heart disease and a host of other
chronic illnesses ascribed to statin use. The evidence is in and it couldn’t be
clearer for those individuals with the will to listen and the desire to
dramatically lower their risk of becoming diabetic.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Age-related macular degeneration
is a progressive eye condition, leading to the deterioration of the center of
the retina, called the macula. It is the leading cause of blindness in the
elderly. The result of a study published in the journalFree Radical Biology and Medicine
finds that eating grapes over a lifetime may slow or help prevent age-related
macular degeneration as we age.

Red Grapes Found to Offer Significant Protection against AMD and
Blindness

The antioxidant actions of grapes
are believed to be responsible for these protective effects, as they are shown
to specifically target the eye to provide a protective shield against repeated
assaults perpetrated by exposure to the sun and high-intensity light sources. Silvia
Finnemann, principal researcher from Fordham University in New York commented,
“A lifelong diet enriched in natural
antioxidants, such as those in grapes, appears to be directly beneficial for
retinal pigment epithelium cells and retinal health and function.”

The study compared the impact of
a diet rich in antioxidants on vision in mice prone to developing retinal
damage in old age in much the same way as humans do. Mice either received a
grape-enriched diet, a diet with added lutein, or a normal diet. Researchers
found that the diet enriched with grapes offered dramatic protection, as it was
shown to protect against oxidative damage of the retina and prevent blindness.
While a diet
supplemented with lutein was also effective, grapes were found to offer
significantly more protection.

Red Grapes Lower Retinal Oxidative Stress to Improve Eye Health

Dr. Finnemann noted"The protective effect of the grapes
in this study was remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age even if
grapes were consumed only at young age." The result of this study
determined that age-related vision loss is a result of cumulative, oxidative
damage over time. A diet rich in antioxidants, especially those provided by
lifelong consumption of red grapes are directly beneficial to retinal health
and function.

This study showed that adding
grapes to the diet prevented blindness in mice by significantly decreasing the
build-up of lipofuscin and preventing the oxidative damage to the retina. Red
grapes contain the powerful antioxidant, resveratrol that has been demonstrated
to provide essential support for optimal brain function and heart health.
Consuming several ounces of red grapes each day may provide an important key to
prevent eye damage and blindness from AMD.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

The importance of vitamin D for
human health has been the topic of extensive research over the past decade.
Suboptimal levels of the prohormone are known to compromise immunity,
cardiovascular health, bone health and normal metabolism. The result of a new
meta-analysis study published
in the European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition shows that adequate circulating vitamin D reduces the risk of
all-cause mortality by 29%.

Vitamin
D has been shown to provide the blueprint required for healthy DNA
replication of cellular structures; low levels of the sunshine vitamin
dramatically increase the incidence of many cancer lines as genetic mutations
proliferate. Millions of at-risk people can protect themselves by ensuring
normal blood saturation levels through a simple blood test and prudent sun
exposure or supplementation.

Vitamin D Blood Level Lowers Colorectal Cancer Risk by Forty Percent

Vitamin D deficiency
runs rampant in the aging population around the world. Researchers estimate
that correcting this deficiency by doubling the typically low vitamin D levels
would result in a 20% mortality reduction. A body of evidence shows that senior
adults with the lowest level of vitamin D blood saturation more than double
their risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Researchers performed a large
meta-analysis of eleven vitamin D studies including 59,231 individuals. They
compared individuals in the highest quartile with those in the lowest quartile
and found the increased risk of early morality from all causes was 29%. As
blood levels dropped below 30 ng/mL, the risk for death went up in a linear
manner. It is important to note that fifty-percent of U.S. citizens have
vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL and forty percent have major deficiency (below
20 ng/mL), problems made worse by lack of sun exposure in the winter.

Maintain Optimal Vitamin D Blood levels with a Simple 25(OH)D Test

In an independent and supporting
body of research, scientists from the national cancer Center in Tokyo publishing
in the American Journal of Epidemiology
found that the highest levels of vitamin D blood saturation lowered the risk of
colorectal cancer by forty percent. In a study of 737 people with colon cancer
and 703 cancer free individuals, researchers found that those with the highest
levels of vitamin D and increased levels of calcium experienced the lowest risk
from this common form of cancer.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

People that have suffered a
traumatic injury face an uphill battle as they attempt to regain their health
and fight the risk of depression as a long term consequence of the event. British
researchers from Queen Mary at the University of London have published the
result of a study
in the Journal of Neuroscience that
explains how omega-3 fatty acids play a significant role in preventing and
protecting nerves from injury.

The research focused on
peripheral nerve cells which transmit signals between the brain and the spinal
cord to the rest of the body. Omega-3 fats from food sources including
sardines, salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds provide for decreased cell death from
injury and may offer significant protection against future damage.

Omega-3 Fats Help Prevent Nerve Damage and Assist the Repair Process

Current research indicates that
our nerves do have a limited capacity to regenerate, but recovery is severely
limited depending on the extent of the injury. Omega-3
fatty acids are essential for the body's normal growth and development and
have been well researched for their health benefits, largely focused on brain
and heart health. The body is unable to manufacture its own Omega-3 fat supply,
so it is necessary to obtain sufficient intake from foods such as oily fish,
nuts and seeds or through supplementation.

Researchers studied the effect of
Omega-3 fats on isolated mice nerve cells, known to parallel human nerve
responses. They simulated nerve damage caused from an accident or injury by
either stretching the cells or starving them of oxygen. Both types of damage can
kill a significant portion of nerve cells, but enrichment with omega-3 fatty
acids in cells gave them significant protection and decreased cell death.

The study also examined sciatic
nerve damage in the mice. They found that a high level of omega-3 fatty acids
helped mice to recover from sciatic nerve injury more quickly and more fully,
and that their muscles were less likely to waste following nerve damage. The
team leader, Dr. Adina Michael-Titus, Professor of Neuroscience concluded“Our previous research has shown that
these fatty acids could have beneficial effects in a number of neurological
conditions. This new study suggests that they could also have a role in
treating peripheral nerve injuries.”

The findings from this research
should come as no surprise to integrative health followers. The Omega-3 fats
EPA and DHA are essential building blocks to all cellular structures in the
body and are particularly dominant in the brain and nervous system. A healthy
supply of Omega-3 fatty acids allows for natural cell repair and the effective
chemical and electrical communications that are important to optimal nerve
function. Consuming fatty fish three to four times a week or supplementing
with molecularly distilled fish oil (1 to 2.4 grams total EPA/DHA) supports the
nervous system and regeneration process after injury.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Researchers publishing
in the British Journal of Cancer have determined that processed meat
consumption increases the risk of developing one of the most deadly forms of
pancreatic cancer by nineteen percent in men and women. In addition, the same
study found that a diet high in red meat can lead to increased risk of the
disease in men. Eating the equivalent of one sausage or two strips of bacon
each day was found to jump the risk of developing pancreatic cancer in this
prospective meta-analysis study, compared to those who consumed no meat.

A diet of just over four ounces
of red meat eaten daily increased the risk of pancreatic cancer
in men by close to thirty percent. Health-minded individuals wishing to limit
their risk for developing pancreatic cancer will want to eliminate processed
meats and severely limit red meat consumption.

The lifetime risk of developing
pancreatic cancer in western cultures is 1 in 79 for women and 1 in 77 for men,
compared to smoking which increases the risk by 74%. Any habit that increases
the risk of developing this form of the disease that defies early diagnosis and
carries a dismal five-year survival rate less than five percent is
unacceptable.

British researchers conducted a
meta-analysis of eleven significant studies involving more than 6,000
individuals with pancreatic cancer. The scientist’s compiled details on the
consumption of processed and red meats for the study subjects across all
studies considered, and then analyzed to determine the impact on disease
genesis and prognosis. The study leader, Professor Susanna Larsson noted“Pancreatic cancer has poor survival rates.
So as well as diagnosing it early, it’s important to understand what can
increase the risk of this disease.”

Deadly Carcinogenic Amines Form When Meats are Cooked at High
Temperatures

Researchers found that process
meats contain a high level of nitrites and N-nitroso compounds used to
preserve the meat and provide flavor. The positive association between
processed meat consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer increases as the
compounds pass from the bloodstream to the pancreas where they are known to be
carcinogenic. In a similar fashion, humans are exposed to N-nitroso
compounds via cigarette smoking, an established risk factor for pancreatic
cancer. The study suggests that the
risk of developing pancreatic cancer is greatly increased with a diet of
processed meats and smoking.

Interestingly, the study did not
find that eating red meat increased pancreatic cancer risk in women. The authors
believe this is because women eat less red meat than men, and there is a
tolerance level exceeded by men and not women. Similar studies have shown that heterocyclic
amines form when red meat is cooked using high-temperature methods such as
pan frying or grilling directly over an open flame, dramatically increasing
pancreatic cancer risk.

Health-minded individuals are
well advised to avoid all processed meats (sausage, bacon and luncheon meats). The
study researchers concluded“The jury is still out as to whether meat
is a definite risk factor for pancreatic cancer and more large studies are
needed to confirm this. But this new analysis suggests processed meat may be
playing a role.”

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Researchers from the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have published the result of a study showing
that a diet rich in slowly digested carbohydrates, such as leafy green
vegetables, legumes and other high-fiber foods, significantly reduces markers of
inflammation associated with the onset of chronic disease. The work, reported
in The Journal of Nutrition, explains
that a diet rich in high-fiber foods significantly improves insulin signaling
and resistance that promote life-shortening diseases including cancer, cardiovascular,
stroke and dementia.

Monitoring the glycemic-load of
different foods lowers the risk of blood glucose spikes and also increases a
hormone that helps regulate the metabolism of fat and sugar. Health minded
individuals will want to ensure they eat between thirty and fifty grams of
fiber from a variety of food sources each day to control systemic inflammation
and lower disease risk.

The random controlled study involved
eighty healthy men and women selected from the Seattle, WA area. Half were
considered to be of normal weight, and the other half were overweight
or obese as measured on a standardized BMI scale. Researchers found that among
overweight and obese study participants, a low-glycemic-load diet reduced a
biomarker of inflammation called C-reactive protein by about 22 percent.

Other studies in the past have
suggested a correlation between dietary carbohydrate and sugar consumption as
measured by the glycemic index of foods and systemic inflammation. This research
is important because the C-reactive protein is associated with an increased
risk for many cancers as well as cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Marian Neuhouser, a member of
the Cancer Prevention Program in the Public Health Sciences Division at the
Hutchinson Center noted“Lowering inflammatory factors is important
for reducing a broad range of health risks. Showing that a low-glycemic-load
diet can improve health is important for the millions of Americans who are
overweight or obese.”

Neuhouser and her team also found
that increasing low glycemic load foods in the participants diet by just five
percent resulted in increased blood levels of a protein hormone called
adiponectin. The hormone is known to protect against a number of different
cancer lines as well as metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes,
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and hardening of the arteries.

Many health-minded people know
the importance of avoiding processed carbohydrates and sugar-laden foods while
increasing dietary fiber. Dr. Neuhouser concluded“Whenever possible, choose carbohydrates
that are less likely to cause rapid spikes in blood glucose… these types of
low-glycemic-load carbs include whole grains; legumes such as kidney beans, soy
beans, pinto beans and lentils as well as fruits such as apples, oranges,
grapefruit and pears.” This study provides another chapter to the growing
body of research that demonstrates the importance of dietary choices to prevent
heart disease, cancer, diabetes and most chronic illnesses.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Researchers from the Australian
National University have shown that essential B vitamins combat stress that
results in a loss of memory and normal thought patterns that cause abnormal
brain aging. Publishing
in The American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, scientists found that long-term supplementation of daily folic
acid and vitamin B-12 promotes improvement in cognitive functioning after a
period of two years, particularly in immediate and delayed memory performance.

B vitamins are crucial for nerve
transmission and are needed in higher amounts as your stress level increases.
Health-minded adults will want to ensure that they obtain an optimal daily dose
of these important vitamins from diet or supplemental sources.

Folic Acid and Vitamin B-12 Fight Brain Stress and Inflammation in the
Elderly

The study leader, Dr. Janine
Walker and her team conducted a two year intervention among elderly
participants confined in a community-dwelling environment. All participants
exhibited symptoms of depression and were under moderate stress due to
environmental and lifestyle conditions. The study was designed to determine if
nutritional intervention could prevent cognitive decline under randomized and
controlled conditions.

Researchers supplemented one
group of study
volunteers with an oral dosage of 400 micrograms of folic acid and 100
micrograms of vitamin B-12 daily. This group was compared against a control set
of participants that received a placebo. The results were measured at twelve
and twenty-four month intervals using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive
Status Standardized Test and the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (to
determine processing speed). An Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in
the Elderly was administered at two years to provide a final analysis of
cognitive function.

The study authors found that the
group receiving the supplemental B-vitamins
experienced significantly better memory function when compared to the control
subjects. The research team determined that stress results in inflammation to
neuron structures in the brain and inhibits electrical and chemical
transmissions between nerves that are required to form new memories and
maintain a healthy degree of cognitive function. The body uses B-vitamins,
especially folic acid and vitamin B-12 to fight brain inflammation and ensure
proper brain communications.

After the two year study period,
Dr. Walker concluded“Long-term supplementation of daily oral
400 mcg folic acid and 100 mcg vitamin B-12 promotes improvement in cognitive
functioning after 24 months, particularly in immediate and delayed memory
performance.” The entire family of B-vitamins has been shown to lower the
impact of brain stress and inflammation. Health-conscious adults will want to
combine a daily supply of B-vitamins with the Omega-3 fats EPA and DHA to
dramatically lower the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline.

Natural Weight Loss EBook by John Phillip.

About Me

John Phillip is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and Diet, Health and Nutrition Researcher/Writer with a passion for understanding Weight Loss challenges and encouraging Health Modification through proper Diet, Nutritional Lifestyle and Targeted Supplementation. John's passion is to research and write about the cutting edge medical technology which will affect our lives through life extension principles.